To Be Her Knight
by Twin-Lance
Summary: She is his sorceress. He is her knight. Squall looks to Cid for guidance as he tries to embrace all the change in his life, while juggling being a Commander, and becoming a respectable Sorceress' Knight. A story exploring the budding relationship between Squall and Rinoa, not long after the game ends. Written for the "Where I Belong" challenge.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **Final Fantasy VIII and its characters, places, weapons, and ideas are owned by Square Enix, formerly SquareSoft. I am merely a fan who enjoys escaping to their world of fantasy when I need a break from reality.

**To Be Her Knight**

Chapter One

Ultimecia had left the world in a tattered, tumultuous state. A new superpower had quite literally appeared from nothingness in an instant, overshadowing the shaky realm that encompassed Galbadian Territory. While half of the world was enthralled by Esthar's surprise return to world politics, others reacted with a suspicion. Some territories, most of which were Galbadian, went as far as to accuse Esthar of using the sorceress to destabilize Galbadia. Other territories used the fallout after the war, the lack of a Galbadian President, and the world's distraction with Esthar to make a push for independence.

Timber had been one of the territories to start aggressively pushing back against Galbadia's hold. It was joined by the small rural territories of Anhill, Blue Gales, and Deadwood. As if holding a Presidential election in the midst of so much swirling suspicion and uncertainty hadn't been bad enough for Deling City, General Caraway had his hands full trying to get enough soldiers in key locations to help keep control of Galbadian lands. At the risk of ruining his career and being charged with treason, he pulled back troops from Timber, relinquishing Deling City's hold over the town's residents. It had been an abrupt and unexpected decision, winning him both praise and condemnation from different parts of the region.

For the most part, life in Balamb wasn't too affected in the fallout over the Sorceress's defeat. Balamb Garden went back to her home base and SeeD began assessing and addressing the repairs she required. What _had_ changed was an increased interest in not only Balamb Garden, but the heroes who'd saved the world from the evil Sorceress. In the beginning the media was merely an annoyance. The first time a member of the media had shown up at the gates of Garden, the security guard on duty hadn't been entirely sure how to address them. By the time a few months had passed, their presence had become borderline disruptive to the flow of regular Garden traffic. Balamb City had done what they could to put limitations on the media's harassment of Garden but there had really been only so much they could do while still ensuring the freedom of the press. To address the issue, Garden had posted their own guards outside of the gates and along the main road for as far down as Garden property ran.

Reporters had made readjusting to normal lives a bit tricky for everyone in Balamb Garden. They made simple shopping trips and social gatherings difficult, and it wasn't uncommon for regular first and second year cadets to get stopped by overzealous reporters hoping to get some kind of scoop. Despite having to practically sneak out of Garden to go on simple dates, Squall didn't complain. He did it out of respect, knowing that Matron hadn't set a foot outside the front gate since they'd returned to Balamb. While she would never admit it, he knew she was afraid.

To help combat all the negative attention Deling had brought Galbadia, the country was calling for the heads of a few of the 'war criminals' that were still alive. Matron, along with Seifer, Fujin, and Raijin had all been named by the Galbadian Government as being enemies of the state. Convincing them that Matron was innocent of her crimes had been tricky, but it their argument had also helped to protect others. While they had reached a tentative agreement to keep them from being taken into custody and put on trial, tensions were still very strained and they still received death threats.

* * *

The morning after one of his and Rinoa's stealth dates, Squall woke up lying on his back in his quarters. Sneaking out of Garden had almost turned into a game by this point. After going out a back exit and driving a few miles through the acres of wilderness Garden used for training land, they would come out on the main road, well beyond where the reporters would be waiting. They'd stayed out late last night, much later than they usually did. He was fairly confident that they'd both had a good time. Despite Rinoa's fears that someone would realize she had Edea's powers now, even she had been nothing but smiles during their date. He stretched a bit, still thinking about the date when he felt a heavy weight shift on his stomach.

Opening his eyes, he hesitated before moving again. Rinoa lay sleeping on top of him, her ear pressed against where his heart was. Her palm lay across his shoulder and her body moved ever so slightly with her breathing. The sheets were draped lightly across her lower back, leaving most of their upper bodies exposed. He was still processing everything that had led up to this moment when she started to stir. He watched her silently. They'd danced, kissed, and had a glass or two of wine. He'd told her how he'd felt about her but he'd never intended to take it this far. Last night he'd been very happy with the kissing they'd been doing, even the kissing that had happened out in public. A brief panic started to set in. They were just settling in to their respective roles in their relationship. What did this mean now? Had he crossed a line? Had he initiated this? Had she seduced him into this? Did he really care if she had? Did he need to talk to Irvine? No. He would never speak of this to Irvine.

"Good morning." Her voice was soft and sweet as she watched him with her big beautiful brown eyes.

Squall still felt like he'd crossed a line but her smile melted him a little inside. All he could manage was a slight goofy smile. "Good morning," he managed.

She smiled. "You were really something last night," she admitted. "For someone I couldn't even get to hug me a few months ago you really swept me off my feet," she teased, pulling herself up higher on his chest so she could lean in and lightly kiss his lips.

The thought crossed his mind that at some point she had probably seen him naked and that embarrassed him a bit. When she kissed him again, he welcomed it. Kissing seemed like a safe alternative to trying to talk things out with her. Returning her affections, he closed his eyes and slid an arm around her waist while he slowly processed the night before. He remembered all of it but he was still in shock that it hadn't been a dream. He had clearly gotten caught up in the moment and hadn't even questioned her when she'd taken the lead once they'd gone to his quarters. He felt her lips pull away and he opened his eyes.

"Stop processing things," she said softly. He managed a small shrug. "I mean it," she whispered. "After everything we've been through. After everything we survived," she said quietly. "I don't want to have to analyze the appropriateness of the intimacy I share with my knight."

Her words gave him pause before a smile crossed his lips. That had been the line she'd used last night to tell him what they were doing was alright. Reaching up with his free hand, he tucked her hair back behind her ear. Her words made sense. He'd been willing to die for her numerous times, why was he worrying himself over this? He smiled a bit more broadly. "I'm not analyzing anything," he lied to her. "I was just taking in the moment," he added, noticing for the first time how petite and delicate her thin frame felt against his. How had she survived the war? She was tiny and not in a Selphie kind of way. Selphie at least had a significant muscle tone.

He slid his arm around her a bit more. She was a sorceress now…it would be his place to keep her safe. She was _his_ sorceress. The thought brought chills to his spine. Would the world even accept her now? Did the world need to know? Could they keep it hidden? Was it her powers or the knowledge that he'd die for her that scared him? Squall wasn't entirely sure but he suspected he'd have to have a talk with Cid at some point on the subject.

An unexpected pounding on the door startled them both out of the moment. "Squall! Wake up man!" Zell's voice was muffled but still audible through the steel. "As Commander you have to be at the meeting that's starting in twenty minutes! Cid is waiting on you!"

Squall let out a groan as he slowly sat up. Rinoa sat up with him, pulling the sheet around her thin frame as she stood up and grabbed her clothing from the floor. She blew him a playful kiss as she disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door. Left alone on the edge of the bed Squall shivered. Grabbing some clothes from his dresser, he ignored the sound of Zell's voice as he droned on about responsibilities and duties. Grabbing the comforter off the floor, he tossed it over the mattress and hit the door release.

"I'm almost ready," Squall told him as he sat down and laced his boots. "Is the pounding really necessary?" he complained.

"No but I find it very effective," Zell smiled broadly. Squall just stared at him. That smile was almost infectious. Almost. "The meeting is going to address the state of the post-war world and Garden's role in it," he told him. "Cid wants to consult with you in the direction Balamb Garden will be taking and what respective roles the two of you will hold."

"So he's still going to be Headmaster?" Squall asked.

"Sounds like it," Zell smiled.

"Good," Squall replied as he stood. He ran his fingers through his hair and started out. "Let's go then."

"Dude," Zell said quietly, pointing out Rinoa's boots under the bed. His face broke out into a small grin. "…Is Rinoa here?" As if on cue, Angelo came over and licked his hand.

"Zell let's just go," Squall stated from the doorway.

Zell's grin grew a bit broader. "Where is she? In the bathroom?" Squall didn't respond to his question but he could feel his face growing a bit warmer. "You dog," he teased.

Squall opened his mouth but no retort came out.

"You're blushing," he teased.

"…"

"I'm going to head out for a bit and meet up with Selphie…" Rinoa said as she came out of the bathroom. Squall looked over at her; she was good at pretending nothing had happened between them. She was even better at pretending they hadn't almost been caught. "Hey Zell," she smiled.

"Hey Rin," Zell waved with a broad smile.

"I'll be back for lunch," Rinoa told Squall as Angelo followed at her heels. "Have a good day," she smiled, raising up on her tiptoes and kissing his cheek quickly. "Bye." She glanced over at Zell and offered him a little wave. "Bye Zell."

"Bye Rinoa," Zell replied, watching as she half trotted, half skipped down the hall as she played with the dog. He cleared his throat, looking over at Squall after Rinoa was out of sight. "Sooo," he grinned.

"We're late," Squall brushed off Zell's expecting and inquisitive look.

"Don't duck the subject man," Zell grinned as they made their way to the elevator.

"Not ducking anything Dincht," Squall said over the sound of the fountains as he waited for the elevator to come down to their level.

"Mhm," Zell teased as a few cadets stepped off the elevator and walked past them. Squall stepped inside and waited for Zell.

* * *

Meanwhile, out on the quad, Rinoa and Selphie enjoyed some breakfast muffins while sitting out on the ledge. Rinoa licked the crumbs off her fingers. "I can't believe so much damage was done," she admitted, looking past Selphie and towards where a team of SeeD contractors were assessing damage and beginning to make repairs.

"I can't believe Squall said that to you last night!" Selphie exclaimed with a broad smile. "That has got to be the sweetest thing I've ever heard! And it came from Squall! Are you sure you weren't hallucinating?" she teased.

"I did not, and shush," Rinoa smiled, her cheeks giving away the rosy hint of a blush. "I don't want it getting around and him getting embarrassed. He's hard enough to talk to as it is."

"Oooh come on," Selphie pleaded. "A line that sweet needs to be repeated, so all the other boys know they need to step it up in the romance department."

Rinoa chuckled and shook her head as she scratched behind Angelo's ears. "Do you think they'll let me keep him?" she asked, wanting to change the subject.

Selphie looked up. "Let you keep who? Squall?"

Rinoa gave her a look. "No. Angelo," she stated. "Garden has a no pets policy. Right now he's being treated as a war hero, but eventually, someone might complain."

She was quiet. "..I don't know," Selphie admitted. "Surely they won't be able to make you get rid of him. You're dating the Commander for crying out loud," she nudged her playfully with her elbow.

"But then other SeeDs might accuse Squall of giving me special treatment," Rinoa countered. "I don't want that either." Sliding her fingers through Angelo's hair, she offered the dog a smile. Angelo's tail whipped and thumped around in response as she leaned up against Rinoa's leg. "..And I can't just leave Garden with her."

"Wait what? No you can't leave," Selphie said quickly. "No. We are like sisters now. I would miss you too much."

Rinoa smiled. "I meant move outside of Garden. You know, to Balamb," she chuckled.

"Oh," Selphie smiled sheepishly. "Don't scare me like that."

"I'd be too afraid someone might realize what I am," she admitted quietly. "I don't know how many people know as it is. With everything that has happened during the war, I would understand their fear of me."

Selphie wet her lips, her expression growing more serious. "That's why you're going to stay with us where it's safe," she told her. "We're all your friends here. And given enough time everybody in this Garden will probably feel the same way," she smiled. "You'll just have to show people they can trust you. You're a sweet person, so it won't take too much to convince them."

Rinoa smiled. "Thanks," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"And Angelo will stay here with you. If anyone wants to make a fuss over it they can deal with me!" Selphie proclaimed proudly as she hopped to her feet. Rinoa smiled as she watched her. Some people spoke with their hands, but Selphie spoke with her entire body. A little alarm sounded off from inside of Selphie's pocket. She reached in and pulled out a little timepiece. Rinoa looked at it curiously.

"That might be the prettiest pocket watch I've ever seen," she stated. "Where did you get it?"

"I picked it up in Esthar," she admitted with a grin. "What's the fun in traveling the world if you can't pick up souvenirs every now and then?" she asked as she turned the alarm off. "It's pretty spiffy," she admitted. "I was going to give it to Irvy, but then I caught him flirting up some barista in Dollet…" she trailed off a moment, a brooding expression crossing her face. "So I kept it, and got a little attached to it," she admitted with a grin. "But I need to go."

Rinoa smiled. "I don't think Irvine means anything by it," she offered. "I think it's just his nature to talk like he does."

Selphie shrugged it off. "Maybe," she said, tucking the timepiece back into the pocket in her uniform jacket. "I'll talk to you later though okay?"

"…Where are you going?" Rinoa asked.

"Squall didn't tell you?" she asked. "Cid has arranged for some promotional pictures to be taken for Garden recruiting. He's having us all photographed. Well, not you, since you aren't SeeD. I mean, you were technically our client."

Rinoa smiled. "I understand," she assured her. "Believe me I don't want my picture all over brochures and pamphlets. I don't think Squall is going to want it either though."

Selphie smiled. "Yeah, I'm not sure if Squall knows it's happening yet. I have to go; I don't want to miss it when he finds out."

Rinoa offered a wave, watching as her enthusiastic friend bounded off to wherever the photographer was set up. Angelo nudged her arm. She looked down and scratched behind the dog's ears. "Mama's not going to let them take you away from me," she smiled. She wouldn't admit it, but she had seen a cadet complaining on one of the forums on the Garden computer system.

* * *

**Notes: ** This story is the first in a series of related stories I'm going to be posting and was written for the "Where I Belong" challenge. I'm so glad I was invited to join in on the fun. Participating in this challenge has helped ignite a love for writing fanfiction that I almost lost.

It has been about four years since my last fanfiction post. I first started posting nearly nine years ago, not long after I'd graduated high school. I started writing to help pass time while my boyfriend was at basic training. Fast forward nearly nine years and I'm now juggling my husband's military schedule, our children, and all of our animals. I write now for my sanity's sake. Sometimes it just helps to be able to get lost in a make believe world and forget the real one actually exists. I hope that anyone that reads this enjoys it as much as I've enjoyed writing it.

I'd also like to give a shout out to my muse, Roarke Stratton. Without her I don't know if I would've had the inspiration or the drive to finish a story on such short notice.


	2. Chapter 2

**To Be Her Knight**

Twin-Lance

**Chapter Two**

To say Squall had been annoyed to find out that his early morning meeting with the Garden officers and investors had been ruse would have been an understatement. It wasn't that he'd been looking forward to dealing with them; to be completely honest with himself, he was intimidated by the thought of having to stare across the table at the investors. It was that he realized soon after he'd arrived that he'd been set up. Cid was waiting for him with a new Commander's uniform. It was a bit different than the uniforms the headmasters at the other Garden's wore but not by much. After putting it on he'd found himself subjected to Matron's attention as she made a few minor adjustments and then brushed his hair. She seemed to take great pride in making sure he looked presentable, even forcing him to sit still while she broke out a makeup case to make him look more presentable. He didn't question it though, it was Matron after all and he enjoyed being on the receiving end of her affection. He was fairly certain Cid had never been dolled up for a meeting with the investors before but Squall couldn't bring himself to tell her no. He wanted to but he couldn't make the words form. Matron had this way of commanding authority and obedience with just a touch of her hand and that sweet humble smile of hers. Was this what it was like to have a mother? He wasn't certain but he didn't mind pretending it was.

He sat quietly and went along with the entire scenario mainly because he couldn't be mean to Matron. Not knowing where they conducted their meetings, he followed Cid down the hall and stepped into a rather large room to the left. The sight that greeted him caused his stomach to knot. "No," he managed.

Cid smiled, slapping him on the shoulder lightly. "It's just a few promotional photos. You know, brochures, posters, life-sized stand ups… We have a Garden that can't fund itself. Although it would be nice if it could," he said suggestively. "Just imagine," he told him.

"I'm not having my picture taken," Squall told him, turning on his heel and starting to leave. The only thing he could think while Matron had been dolling him up was that at least no one had seen it. Now Cid wanted him to pose in front of a camera with most of the gang for promotional photos? No way.

"Squall," Cid said in a soft but stern voice. "You are the Commander," he reminded him. "And you led the team to victory against Ultimecia. You are important even if you don't want to admit it. Balamb Garden is in a great position right now. People are looking at us as heroes and peacekeepers instead of mercenaries for hire. Squall you have to seize that and help me continue to shape and develop that image."

Squall was quiet, letting his words sink in. He did need Garden. He couldn't imagine a life without it, let alone imagine a safer place for him to keep Rinoa. "Alright," he said, wetting his lips.

Cid smiled as he turned Squall back around and marched him back to where the others were waiting.

"Lookin' snazzy," Irvine said, fidgeting slightly, clearly uncomfortable with the fact that he was the only one in a cadet's uniform.

"Mister fancy pants," Selphie winked playfully. "Look at his top. How cool is that?" she asked, bouncing over and running her fingers over the embroidery on his collar. Squall stepped back a little awkwardly.

"What kind of pictures do they want?" he asked, dreading the answer.

"Group poses mostly," a chipper young photographer said as he adjusted the lights. "I've already gotten enough individual shots from him to fill a catalog," he gestured towards Zell. "These photos are going to look great. Just trust me," he assured Squall as he motioned for them to follow him. "Alright, I'll have you come over here," he instructed Selphie as he moved her to the right. "And I'll have you over here," he said, moving Zell. Squall tried to hide his annoyance as he was hauled up to the front. Of course he was in the front. The photographer stared at him a moment. "Can you relax your arms a bit? You need to loosen up," he told him.

Behind him, Irvine snorted and then chuckled.

"…Alright. Just, leave your arms crossed," the photographer told Squall as he moved Irvine into the back. "Makes you look more …intimidating," he said under his breath.

Two hours later, Squall was wishing he was still having his picture taken. The meeting had been going on for nearly fifteen minutes and he was fairly certain it had been the longest fifteen minutes of his life. That really said something, because he'd dealt with time compression and the horrible lag that he had suffered from afterwards. He did his best to stay awake, listening as Cid discussed policy changes and repairs. This was terrible. He didn't know what Cid was paid but it certainly wasn't enough to deal with all the stiffs in this room. It was his Garden, why did he have to clear this with them?

When a young real estate mogul named Sean Lancaster spoke up, Squall took notice. His family was one of the wealthiest on the island. Usually they sponsored parks and the occasional research study at Balamb General Hospital. The fact that the heir to the family's fortune had injected himself into Garden politics was surprising, to say the least, especially….especially considering he knew that the senior member of the Lancaster clan had protested Balamb Garden's creation. Squall knew him from advertisements, it was hard not to. His smiling face was everywhere. He wasn't sure the kid was much older than he was. Lancaster looked like a baby next to the other investors, his feathery blonde hair framing a very boyish looking face. Squall listened attentively when he spoke up to complain about contracting positions within Garden to non-SeeD members. Sean spoke quietly and almost cautiously as if afraid to incite some kind of immediate retribution.

"Actually," Squall spoke up for the first time. Everyone stopped talking to turn and look at him. Even Cid seemed a little surprised. Squall returned all of their glances. He had to say something, if someone didn't back Sean up, the chance to get Garden free of outside administrators might be lost. Besides, Cid did say he wanted him to help him shape Garden's future, right? "I agree with Lancaster," he stated as he leaned back in his chair crossed his arms. "Non-SeeD personnel shouldn't be allowed to work in Balamb Garden."

"It keeps your operating costs cheaper," a short, stumpy investor informed him.

"I don't care," Squall stated, looking over at Xu for verification. She stared back at him in a surprised silence. She opened her mouth but didn't say anything at first.

"It would cost us a bit more if we filled vacancies ourselves. It's going to take more management," she stated. "But we're talking security, medical, clerical, and janitorial. Not to mention the kitchen staff," she informed him. "But it would give more of our people tasks relevant to their specialties," she offered.

Squall could feel everyone staring at him….and maybe a few glares. "Outsiders can't be trusted," he stated, certain he might've just offended one or two of the investors. "After the last fiasco with hired faculty members, it would be irresponsible for us to repeat the same mistake if we have our own security forces." No one spoke for a long moment.

"My company has been training security replacements for the past four months," the short investor spoke up. "Do you have any idea how much that costs?"

Squall stared just over the man's shoulder, trying to read the subtle body language Cid was using to direct him in how to respond. He slowly mimicked Cid's nod, glad at least, that everyone else at the table had forgotten Cid was still standing off to the side, in front of a projected finance chart with his pointer in his clasped hands. "I do know," Squall lied. "But I also know the cost of having an outside entity roaming the halls during a crisis situation," he replied. "The number is seventy-one," he replied. Squall made a mental note to thank Xu and Quistis for keeping him so well informed. "Sixty injured SeeDs, eight injured cadets, two deceased SeeD members and one deceased janitor," he stated. Despite feeling like he had made a good solid point, Squall wasn't ready for the way the shortest investor responded.

* * *

Xu smiled broadly as she retold the story to everyone who wasn't there to witness it. "So Mr. Leech blows a gasket," she grinned. "He started challenging Squall's authority to make decisions because he wasn't Headmaster. He even turned on Headmaster Cid after Squall informed him that he would be the Garden Commander for the foreseeable future. "

Quistis blinked, dressing packet held between her fingertips. "…He didn't," she replied.

"He did," she assured her as she tore her breadstick in half. "And then Squall basically told him that if he couldn't respect the wishes and concerns of the Garden leadership that he could take his gil and leave."

"Wait…. What did I miss?" Irvine asked as he sat down with his and Selphie's trays.

"Squall cost Garden an investor," Quistis stated as she put dressing on her salad.

"Eh, that's not so bad for his first meeting as Commander," Irvine smiled.

"Just one?" Nida asked as he added mustard to his hotdog. "That doesn't sound bad. Vern in financing said that there were people lining up to invest in Balamb Garden. Everyone wants to be associated with the military force that saved the world."

"How did you know that?" Xu asked.

"I spend a lot of time on the bridge," Nida shrugged. "And Vern's voice carries really well," he smiled.

Xu contemplated this for a moment before nodding. "Fair enough," she smiled. Nida returned her smile, holding her gaze until Zell plopped down at the table with a tray in one hand and an armful of magazines in the other.

"Oh no," Quistis said quietly as she shook her head.

"…What?" Nida asked, peering over Quistis's tray to see what Zell had.

"Our weekly dose of media madness," she stated as she jabbed a crouton with her fork.

Zell made a face. "Who seriously passes up the hot dogs for a plate of leaves?"

"Who seriously buys every tabloid the day it hits the newsstands?" She countered.

"This guy," He pointed at himself with both thumbs as he flashed her one of his megawatt smiles. She chuckled as she shook her head. He plopped down on the other side of her and spread the tabloids out on what part of the table was open. "I enjoy reading about how our alternate universe selves are living it up in the post-war world," he informed her.

Quistis smiled. "I must admit I'm a little disappointed in my alternate self. According to the News Tide, she had an ongoing affair with Almasy throughout the war and that was why she was so committed to chasing him down. It seems she lost in love though, because he chose the hypnotically exquisite white witch to be his General. She only fought alongside Squall to dish out the vengeance her broken heart so deeply desired." The newly reappointed instructor wiped away a fake tear and then moved a hand to her chest. "I don't know how we'll ever survive the rejection," she said in a somber tone as she closed her eyes.

Selphie burst out laughing first, followed by everyone else moments later. Quistis smiled as she picked her fork back up. "I like this one," Selphie said, picking one up as she popped a carrot in her mouth. She turned it so they all could see it. "We need to host an intervention," she said seriously, looking over at Zell. "Why didn't you ever tell us you were bulimic?" she asked.

Zell looked up, half a hotdog in his mouth. He half chuckled, half choked on his food. Instead of helping him, Quistis scooted closer to Nida. She couldn't help it…Zell was such a messy eater. "I was choking and I threw up!" he defended himself as he took the tabloid. "That reporter abused her privilege to be at that celebration. Instead of helping me she was jotting down her next fabricated story. Trust me, I do not waste food. I love food and it loves me," he proclaimed.

"It's true," Irvine said under his breath. "He can stomach anything you put on his plate."

"Like that bite bug that he diced and cooked over a fire in the plains —"

"Don't remind us Selphie," Rinoa said as she stopped at the end of the table and made a face. "Can I sit here?"

"Of course!" Selphie smiled broadly, patting the bench. She nudged Irvine with her hip so he'd scoot over. "There! I made room for two," she smiled, giving Rinoa room for Squall to sit as well.

"Thanks," Squall said quietly as he sat.

"Hey," Zell defended himself. "You guys say gross, I say resourceful," he stated. "I don't care where you drop me, I won't go hungry. I will hunt and eat anything," he smiled proudly.

"We're talking about that bug aren't we," Squall made a face.

Rinoa scrunched her nose and chuckled. "I think we are." He smiled faintly, watching her as she laughed.

"Ooh ooh!" Xu smiled. She cleared her throat as she gave Irvine a sideways glance. "Sharpshooting womanizer caught outside gay bar," she smiled. "Wears fantastic chaps," she finished, trying not to laugh. Even Squall had to chuckle a bit at that one.

"It was Esthar!" Irvine defended himself. "I was lost and asking for directions! They waved me over! They were really friendly," he added.

Selphie had to nod. "They were also very helpful," she admitted. "We keep in touch," she said with a smile.

"Do you really?" Quistis asked.

"We're all pen pals now," Selphie admitted with an innocent shrug.

"That's okay, Squall made friends with a card shark in Fisherman's," Rinoa stated. Everyone turned to stare at Squall. "What was his name?"

"Ranny," Squall replied, undeterred by their looks as he took a bite out of his hotdog.

"That's right," Rinoa smiled. "Ranny. They both shared a common annoyance with Zell."

"What?!" Zell exclaimed. "I thought we were friends!"

Squall offered a faint smile as he continued eating.

"So Squall, from what we heard you dropped a bomb on one of the investors," Nida spoke up.

Squall paused, glancing up from his food as everyone stared at him. "I just told them that I felt like we needed to be more responsible for our own security and not hire outside help for jobs that we're more than capable of doing." There was a chorus of agreements from everyone at the table.

"To be honest," Nida offered. "My job as pilot is a little unnecessary if you're not planning on taking the Garden anywhere for a while. My skills as an engineer are being squandered the longer I count birds from up on the bridge."

"…Is that really what you're doing?" Xu asked. "Because I've heard you mumble numbers before. But I thought you were just working out calculations in your head."

Nida smiled. "No, I'm counting birds."

Squall was quiet. "Did the men from Fisherman's Horizon teach you a lot while they were making repairs?"

"They taught me everything I need to know for basic maintenance," Nida offered. "I took a lot of notes."

"But you're the only one that can pilot this Garden," Squall pointed out.

"I was hoping I could train someone else," Nida admitted. "As a backup," he offered. "And I've been trying to teach Mitch from supply some of the general maintenance and stuff for the engines. More people need to know the things I do."

"And I wouldn't mind doing some of the basic security that the faculty members were responsible for," Zell offered. "I could do a way better job, and I could do it without being a jerk."

"So could I," Irvine offered. "Well, once I passed my field exam," he added.

Squall smiled. He was kind of glad he had them backing him up. He'd caused a bit of an uproar in the meeting room.

"Whoa," Selphie changed the subject as she snatched up one of the tabloids. "Did you ever date a redhead?" she asked Irvine.

"Oh there's no way this isn't a loaded question," Zell said under his breath.

Irvine hesitated, spoon halfway to his mouth. "I…maybe," he answered. "Why?"

"Hero Sniper is a Deadbeat Dad," Selphie read, handing him the tabloid. Irvine took it from her, making a face at the cover and dropping it on the table.

"It's just tabloid garbage darlin'," he assured her.

"You know her don't you," she stated.

Irvine seemed to weigh his options before putting his spoon down and pushing his tray away. "Nikki Grey," he answered. "We grew up together in Blue Gales. Well, you know, after I was placed in a home." He was trying to be sincere but Selphie looked more than a little uneasy. "I promise there is no way that kid is mine," he told her. He glanced around, everyone was staring at him. None of them believed him. "Come on guys. I may be a flirt but I'm not a slut," he mumbled.

Squall was the only one to respond to him. "Well to be fair, you did spend the entire mission playing up your reputation as if you were some kind of play boy." Everyone looked back over at Irvine again.

Irvine wet his lips. "Well," he paused. "To be fair, you also spent the entire mission tryin' to pretend you didn't like any of us and wanted nothin' more than for all of us to disappear. Yet here you are joinin' our lunch table, with a girl that you acted like had cooties when we first met." Squall held up a hand, not even wanting to get anything started. It hadn't been his intention. "But since we're on the topic of little girls with cooties," Irvine grinned. "This adorable little yellow birdie told me that last night that you not only professed your undying love, but also your unyielding loyalty to a certain Galbadian Princess."

Squall felt the color drain from his face.

"What was the line exactly?" Irvine asked as he looked over at Selphie. "I swear my undyin' allegiance..."

"Undying love and—" Selphie corrected him.

"That's right," Irvine smiled. "I swear my undying love and allegiance, so that no one may ever cause you any harm, and my unwavering loyalty so that you'll never face this world alone."

"Whoa," Zell grinned. "Who knew Squall was such a romantic?"

Squall wanted to get up but Rinoa looped her fingers through two of his belts, preventing him from standing. To say he was embarrassed would be an understatement.

"Clearly he takes his sorceress knight thing very seriously," Irvine smiled.

Squall scowled. "It is serious," he spoke flatly. "Clearly you don't understand the bond between sorceresses' and their knights. It is very intimate," he said under his breath. "And keep it down," he warned Irvine. "She's trying to keep her powers a secret." He tucked a few loose strands of hair back when they fell into his face.

Irvine looked over at Rinoa. "Sorry," he offered an apology.

She smiled faintly. "It's okay."

Quistis was quiet a moment. "Not to in anyway belittle Squall's heartfelt declaration, but so long as you've got us we'll make sure you're never alone. We'll all be here for you."

Rinoa smiled broadly. "Thanks Quisty,"

Whatever tension had settled over the table had quickly evaporated. Rinoa leaned into Squall a little as he picked at a few of the fries on his plate. He spared her a glance but didn't say anything. She smiled. She'd let go of his belts a little while back and he hadn't even moved a muscle to suggest he was leaving.

"I would just like to thank Squall," Nida said aloud. "For dropping a line so romantically sincere that none of us will ever be able to come up with anything to compare," he smiled.

Irvine laughed. "Yeah, all my lines kind of sound lame now."

"They always have been," Selphie admitted with a smile. A light hearted laughter erupted from the table. It was a nice to be able to slowly wind down from what had quite literally been the adventure of their lifetime.

Quistis sipped her water, deep in thought. "Speaking of connections though, what happens to a knight that loses his sorceress?" she asked quietly. Everyone around her grew silent and they all looked at Squall.

Squall just stared back at them. How was he supposed to know? "I guess he's just alone," he answered. To be honest, he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Quistis frowned faintly.


	3. Chapter 3

**To Be Her Knight**

Twin-Lance

**Chapter Three**

Later that evening, Squall paid a visit to Cid's new apartment. Because Garden had sustained a considerable amount of damage during the war, the Headmaster's quarters had been moved to accommodate a few other residences during the rebuild. When Squall was able to get Cid alone, he'd brought up his concerns about what unforeseen responsibilities he'd end up facing as Rinoa's knight. Realizing the conversation topic was a serious one, Cid sat with Squall on the couch.

"It's going to be hard sometimes. The decision to be a Sorceress Knight is a big one to make. A Sorceress needs her knight to help maintain her humanity and to keep her powers from corrupting her." He offered Squall a drink when Edea brought some out. Squall took it silently but didn't drink from it. "It'll be your job to protect her from not only a world that will want to kill her, but from herself as well," he told him. "Hold tight to your morals and convictions," he told him. "In the toughest of times you will be her moral compass and crutch."

Squall didn't say anything. The thought of that kind of responsibility if he failed her was almost overwhelming; he was used to only looking after himself. It was a lot of responsibility and with the way Cid talked, most of the burden would be on him. Just the thought brought a flutter of nervousness to his chest.

"You've grown up to be a respectable young man," Cid told him with a smile. "I have every faith that so long as your heart is in it, you won't fail her."

"But what if I do?" Squall asked as he looked over at him.

"Just be there for her," Cid told him. "Don't let petty little things tear you apart."

Squall nodded quietly. He could do that.

"It's late," Cid told him. "Get back to your quarters, I'm sure she's waiting there."

Squall put his glass down and nodded as he stood. "Thanks," he said quietly, feeling a little awkward in this situation. "What happens to a knight who fails his sorceress?" He couldn't help it, he had to ask.

Cid paused, looking down for a moment. "The weight of your failure feels like the weight of the entire world is crushing your very soul," he told him. "I thought I'd lost Edea there for a while," he admitted.

Squall was quiet, sparing a glance over at his Matron.

"You should try talking to him," Cid stated.

Squall looked up. "No," he told him.

"You should," he insisted.

"I don't see how that will help anything," Squall told him. "…Thanks again," he said quietly.

Stepping out of their apartment, Squall slid his hands in his pockets as he walked to the elevator. He pressed the button and waited quietly. Him talk to Seifer about what it felt like to lose his sorceress? He was pretty certain that was a very bad idea. There were a handful of ways he could imagine that playing out, and all of them ended very badly.

This level of Garden was very quiet. The elevator chimed as the doors hissed open. It startled him a bit but thankfully there was no one around to see it. Stepping inside, he leaned against the brass handrail and looked down at the Garden levels below. Cid may have been the Headmaster but Squall was the Commander of this base. He grinned to himself. He had to admit, now that the initial shock had worn off, it was pretty cool.

Reaching the first floor, the doors slid open again. Squall pushed himself off the rail and stepped out. Aside from a few cadets, the only other sound in the main circle was the sound of the fountains that lined the walkway. He slid his hands in his pockets again as he started back to the dormitory wing.

* * *

When he arrived at his room, Squall was at a loss for words when the door hissed open. Sitting on the edge of his bed was Seifer. His boots were planted firmly on the floor and his back was bowed over so that he could rest with his elbows on his knees. Much to Squall's annoyance and relief, Seifer never spoke to him. He didn't even get so much as a glance. Seifer kept his gaze and his voice down, whatever he was saying to Rinoa was clearly intended to be private. Rinoa nodded as if she understood and reached up from her spot on the floor to offer a light pat on his knee. Seifer then stood abruptly, stepped carefully around Rinoa and Angelo and brushed past Squall.

Squall watched him slip past, and frowned faintly, neither of them exchanging words. While he wanted to hold some kind of grudge, it was hard to when Seifer looked so defeated. He also looked as if he'd lost twenty pounds since returning to Garden. Regardless, he turned his attention from Seifer's retreating form and stepped back into his room.

Rinoa looked up from her place on the floor when he came back to his room. She had clearly settled in, making his place her own. Aside from her travel bag of clothes by the closet, she had all of her pairs of shoes lined up under the edge of his bed and Angelo's food and water bowls by the bathroom door. He paused as he watched her. She had her hair pulled up loosely and had Angelo lying across her lap. On the floor beside her sat a bottle of baby blue nail polish. Was she painting the dog's nails? Rinoa offered him a slightly embarrassed smile. "You caught us."

"…Cute," was all he knew to say as he closed the door behind him.

"She thinks I'm babying her," Rinoa told him.

"You are," he stated.

She smiled faintly as she carefully applied paint to the last nail on Angelo's front paws.

"What was that about?" Squall asked as he spared the door another glance.

"It was nothing," she told him. "He just wanted to apologize. And to talk."

Squall frowned. If Seifer was going to try to win Rinoa back over, he was going to have to put a stop to that and soon.

"Oh don't," Rinoa interrupted his thoughts. Sometimes he felt like she knew his thoughts before he did. "He was just apologizing for …everything. He's not a bad guy," she reminded him.

He cleared his throat and bent down to remove his boots. Clearly they needed a change in discussion; he wasn't ready to just accept that Seifer was a poor victim of circumstance. Seifer had never been that nice of a guy to him. "I spoke with Selphie this morning," he rerouted the conversation. "..Don't worry about Angelo being here." Rinoa looked up.

"She told you about that?"

He nodded. "She slapped me in the arm for letting you worry like you were," he admitted with a shrug.

"I'm sorry," she offered, some of her hair falling loose and hanging beside her face. "I was just on the Garden Computer System over at Quisty's and there was this cadet complaining that I was the only one allowed a pet."

"Don't worry about them," he told her, shrugging off his uniform top and tossing it on his bed. "I'll have Angelo certified as one of our service dogs," he said as he sat on the edge of his bed and watched Rinoa finish Angelo's nails. "Do you two do this often?"

"Not as often as I'd like," she admitted with a smile.

Squall smiled as Rinoa stood and Angelo trotted over to smell his new uniform. He watched the dog quietly. Whatever she smelled she seemed to be really be enjoying. He reached out and rubbed the dog's back. Her tail whipped around, smacking against his legs. He looked up as Rinoa came over to him.

"Hey," she smiled, letting him pull her onto his lap. She slid an arm around his neck. "I hope I didn't complicate things last night," she admitted. "I just got caught up in the moment," she said quietly.

He looked up at her as he slid his arm around her waist. "You didn't do anything to apologize for," he told her, reaching up to tuck the loose strands of her hair behind her ear. "Believe me, I am not complaining."

"Well you looked pretty surprised when you woke up," she admitted.

"Of course I was," he blushed just slightly. "It was my first time, and I realized it wasn't a dream."

She smiled. "So I didn't make things weird for us?" she asked.

"Not at all," he assured her. She smiled, that was a relief. "But you did tell Irvine about what I said," he frowned a bit.

"I did not!" she exclaimed in an exasperated tone. "I told Selphie!"

He gave her a look. "Telling Selphie anything is like telling the entire Garden over the loudspeaker," he informed her with a scowl.

Her shoulders slumped as she looked down at the floor.

He sighed. Great, she was pouting. "Rin…"

She looked up at him with those big beautiful brown eyes and he knew that it didn't matter what she said next because he wouldn't be able to be mad at her for embarrassing him. "You can't tell me something so amazingly sweet and expect me to keep that to myself," she said as she flattened out a wrinkle in his undershirt with her free hand. "I am so proud of you," she told him. "I'm proud to be with you. You are one of the most amazing people I've ever known and nobody else gets you like I do. So when you say or do something like that, I have to brag," she told him. "I want people to know what a closet romantic you are."

Squall smiled just slightly as she leaned in and pressed her forehead against his. "They'll never believe you," he said with just a hint of mischievousness in his voice.

Rinoa chuckled and swatted his chest with her hand. "I know, I know. You have a reputation to uphold." She leaned into him, pushing him back on the bed. She glanced over at him as they both lay their backs. He seemed focused on something above them so she glanced up as well. "That really bothers you doesn't it?" she asked with a grin. She'd often caught him staring up at the mismatched paint job on his ceiling.

"I like it," he admitted after a moment.

"You would," she said with a smile.

"Rinoa?" he said quietly.

"Yes Squall?" she whispered, rolling on her side so that their noses were almost touching.

"I'm one of the most amazing people you've ever known?" he asked her.

She nodded, the movement against the comforter messing her hair up a bit.

"Who beat me then?" he asked with a hint of a grin.

"Who beat you?" she asked, furrowing her brow.

"As the most amazing person you've ever known," he clarified.

She smiled. "Ah. Jealous are we?"

"No," he denied it, going back to staring at the three shades of beige on the ceiling. She admired his profile as his eyes gazed upwards. There might've been some part of him afraid she still liked Seifer.

"Ma Dincht," she admitted. He looked over at her, clearly surprised by her response.

"Ma Dincht?" he asked. "Of all the people you've ever met in the G Army, the resistance groups and all of the Gardens?"

She smiled. "Well ….yeah," she admitted. "She willingly adopted Zell, raised him and still manages to make over him as her darling son even when he is totally strung out on sugar and adrenaline," she stated. "He's hyper, loud and let's face it, not always totally aware of his surroundings," she smiled. "….I'd like to think my father was that devoted to me," she added quietly.

This conversation had taken an awkward turn in an instant. What did he even say to that? He wasn't really sure he even liked her father that much.

"That," she said quietly. "That and I'm pretty sure he's got a baby with the maid," she admitted, her eyes now staring up at the lackluster paint job above them.

Squall looked over at her. Now he was really at a loss. "I… Are you sure?" he asked. "I don't see why that would matter. Lots of people have multiple children," he offered. He was terrible at this. What was he supposed to say to make it better?

"It's a girl," she told him. "Her name's Azalea, after my mother's flowers in the back yard."

Squall wasn't certain, but he was pretty sure he was hearing a bit of resentment in her voice. Rinoa was usually such a friendly, bubbly person, so hearing her talk like this worried him. "Rin," he told her, getting her to look back over at him. "I meant what I said about us. I meant every bit of it."

She smiled broadly, tilting her head a bit and kissing the tip of his nose. "I love you," she whispered.

He scanned her eyes with his before offering her a slight smile. The thought of being in love scared him. She already made him act less rationally than he normally would every time she pouted or pleaded with him. He wasn't sure he wanted to know what else she'd be able to get him to do later on down the road. "I love you too," he told her, moving a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear.

She smiled, scooting closer and resting her head against his chest. He slid an arm around her as he stared at the ceiling. So much had happened over the past few months. So much had changed. While Squall would probably never admit it to anyone, he was still struggling to catch up. He had never asked to become such a pivotal person with such an important role in the world. Between his new role, his new social standing with his new 'friends,' the changes he could see in himself, and the doubts to the way he remembered things in his past, Squall was floundering in a sea of change.

He didn't even want to think about his newly discovered father, or how Sis was trying to get him to come up to Esthar for a few weeks to wind down and relax. How could he relax? Cid was coaching him on how to be a capable sorceress' knight, tossing him to the investors….and worst of all, he was being expected to spearhead the largest PR push Balamb Garden had ever undertaken. Everything was so overwhelming. He felt like fate had plucked him from his quiet stable little world of solitude and thrust him into a world of chaos. Rinoa uttered an unintelligible murmur causing him to glance down at her. She was asleep. He slid his fingers back to her face and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. No matter what happened, she would be the center of his universe. Reaching over with his free arm, he pulled the corner of the comforter over them. He let out a sigh as he closed his eyes, he would worry about all the changes another day.**  
**

* * *

**Notes: **Thanks to everyone who read the story, and an even bigger thanks to those of you that review! I hope you've enjoyed yourselves. Also, a big thanks goes to Ashbear and Ronin-ai for encouraging me to participate in the "Where I Belong" challenge. I'm very glad I sat aside my Sims game to start writing again.

Last but certainly not least, I want to give a huge thanks to my muse and sister from another mister, Roarke Stratton! We met here on 9 years ago and she's been criticizing my poorly placed commas ever since. ;) Thank you for the inspiration, the motivation and the editing that this story so desperately needed.


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